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Jul 24, 2023

Lionel Messi's Inter Miami minutes are piling up, so how should Tata Martino handle him in U.S. Open Cup, MLS?

After winning Leagues Cup and qualifying for Concacaf Champions Cup, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami didn't get much time to rest before their U.S. Open Cup semifinal against FC Cincinnati on Wednesday

After winning Leagues Cup and qualifying for Concacaf Champions Cup, Lionel Messi and Inter Miami didn't get much time to rest before their U.S. Open Cup semifinal against FC Cincinnati on Wednesday (which aired for free on the CBS Sports Golazo Network). The oldest competition in U.S. soccer, the Open Cup is still a heralded trophy but for Tata Martino, he had an unenviable situation of trying to balance his Inter Miami roster after getting through the Leagues Cup gauntlet. He's insisted that Messi will continue to play until the player says he needs rest, and Messi didn't just go 90 minutes, he played the full 120 which included extra time.

While Messi's Leagues Cup exceeded all expectations with him scoring 10 goals and assisting one more, he has also logged 564 minutes in just under a month before Wednesday. They played their third game in only eight days with another one around the corner against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday, seeing the Herons travel from Nashville to Cincinnati and then to Harrison. Preparing for Open Cup play, this something that Martino addressed.

"We said that at some point he would have to rest because of the load of minutes played," Martino said on Monday. "Clearly, Wednesday is not going to be that day. If he does not tell me he wants to rest, he will continue to play."

Inter Miami have already secured a Champions Cup place but Open Cup isn't something that they can punt by sitting Messi unless he physically can't. His influence has been immense with the club winning five matches and drawing two since his arrival while also scoring 22 goals before Wednesday. Messi had scored in each Inter Miami game he's played in before this midweek clash, but he did pull off two clutch assists to fuel the comeback.

Each member of the squad has stepped up their game to lift Miami to new heights but with Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba logging most of those minutes, their talented youth players will be needed sooner than later as they pursue more glory.

"How do you sit Lionel Messi in a semifinal? He's gonna play 120 minutes if that what this game goes to."@FelipeCar joins Box to Box to talk about Lionel Messi's heavy workload thus far and makes a prediction. 👀 pic.twitter.com/S6yzceOiMc

Attacking midfielder Facundo Farias made the squad for the first time in the Leagues Cup final against Nashville SC and if Messi doesn't start a game here at some point, he's the most likely replacement to drive Miami's creativity. That first start could come soon and it makes all the sense in the world for Messi to get some rest on Saturday.

Farias is a talented creator when healthy scoring eight goals and assisting one last season in all competitions for Colon of Argentina but at only 20, it's an excellent opportunity for him to grow into a role for club and possibly country under Messi. While this season Miami will go as far as Messi takes them, moving forward that could shift to going as far as Farias can help supplement when Messi needs rest.

Alongside him, Diego Gomez has already been playing minutes in midfield and Tomas Aviles could be next to debut in defense to help give Drake Callender a little less to do. That talented trio are almost as important for making MLS Cup as Messi will be in the long run which is why this is an excellent chance for Martino to begin integrating them.

Celebrate Lionel Messi's move to the U.S. with the exclusive range of Inter Miami CF merchandise. You can get the Lionel Messi Inter Miami jersey right here.